Maintenance

How to Apply Mulch Mulching your garden beds twice a year – once in early spring and again in a late fall – helps your garden retain moisture within the soil. It also prevents the triggers that cause the seed from various weeds to germinate. To calculate the […]

What is Efflorescence? Homeowners often wonder, “What is this white stuff on my wall/pavers/brick/driveway/etc?” It comes in a variety of textures such as rough, thread-like, powdery, sandy, and cotton-like. The technical term for this substance is “efflorescence.” Concrete contains salts that can be dissolved by water and […]

Comparing Deicers for Use on Masonry and Concrete Sodium choride (rock salt, common salt, table salt) Sodium chloride is the least expensive, most commonly used deicer. It is highly effective until at least 15 degrees Fahrenheit, but also has a strongly deleterious impact on our waterways, soil, […]

Begin preparing for winter a couple of months before the season hits. Start by removing any unwanted fish, as space is critical during this time of the year. Overcrowding stresses the fish and is conducive to the spread of disease. Speaking of disease, this is also the […]

4 Considerations When Building a Koi Pond Water features add texture, movement, and a meditative sound, creating an atmosphere most homeowners would need to spend plenty of time traveling long distances to achieve. Whether your water rushes, crashes, or bubbles, it works to reduce unpleasant, unnatural noises […]

5 Tips to Prevent Tick Bites Over the past 2 weeks, we’ve covered 12 diseases spread by ticks and took a detailed look at a tick-related red-meat allergy. You don’t have to avoid the outdoors, however. Preventing tick bites is easy with these five tips. 1. Avoid […]

How to Maintain A Deck Wood Failing to wash your deck at least once per year causes a buildup of pollen and other debris. This eventually leads to mold or mildew, and will eventually rot through the deck. Begin by removing any debris caught between the deck […]

5 Ways to Remove a Tree Stump 1. Dig it Out Digging the stump from the ground may be difficult depending on the size of the stump, but it is the most thorough method of stump removal. Break up the roots to free the stump from the […]

How to Clean Outdoor Furniture Do not power-wash outdoor furniture. If your furniture is chipped, power-washing will increase the size of the chip. Cracks can be caused after a single power-wash, even in very dense woods like teak. The life of power-washed furniture is always reduced drastically. […]

Outdoor Wood-Burning Fireplace Maintenance Be sure to keep undergrowth around the fireplace down. It’s not only a fire hazard, but can also deteriorate the outdoor fireplace itself. If you chip the creosote off the inside of the chimney and its 1/8th inch thick, it’s time for a […]